Tips for Applying Paste Wax

What is Paste Wax?

Paste wax has been in use for quite a long time as a finisher itself as well as a finish defender. When appropriately utilized, paste wax offers a slender, hard, durable finish. Numerous specialists, particularly antique admirers, favor the delicate sheen gotten from using paste wax. Additionally, unlike silicone finishes, waxes don’t meddle with future refinishing.

Waxes dry hard and as such doesn’t smudge and accumulate dust and filth. Paste waxing regularly keeps going for about 3-5 years, contingent upon how often the furniture is utilized and the number of coat layers applied.

Chair arms and table tops are a special case, for the most part requiring yearly waxing, because of the additional wear they get.

Paste wax is time-consuming. About 4-6 hours is needed to paste wax a dining set and if properly done won’t require waxing again for many years to come. It saps energy, yet you won’t get a tougher, wonderful protection than paste wax. Keep in mind, the wax protects the finish, the finish protects the wood. To clean or dust, simply wipe using a soft wet, cotton fabric.

How to Apply Paste Wax: Quick guide

Step 1:Pour a tablespoon of wax, into the center of a square of 100-percent-cotton material. roll up the fabric with the wax in it into a ball and work it until it softens.

Step 2: Rub in a roundabout movement, one little region at once, until the waxing is done.

Step 3: After the surface becomes dull, clean the surplus wax. Utilize a soft, clean cotton fabric and turn it as often as possible.

Step 4: Continue waxing and wiping until the whole furniture piece is done. In case you see a streak, continue wiping to get rid of surplus wax.

Step 5: Use a soft fabric or lamb’s-wool cushion joined to an electric bore or power cradle to polish the wood. in case wax smears, clean it with a soft fabric and keep buffing.

Step 6: For a profound sparkle, put a second layer of wax in the same way; to preserve waxed furniture, dust using a lamb’s-wool duster. do not utilize aerosol or liquid furniture polishes since they are capable of softening the wax and leave a cloudy film.

How To Apply Paste Wax: Detailed Guide

Furniture wax is easy to apply and maintain. Here are a few helpful hints:

APPLY THE RIGHT AMOUNT: The biggest mistake that people make when applying furniture paste wax, is applying too much. Wax is tenacious about sticking to other things, but it does not stick well to itself. If you put a whole can of paste wax on a tabletop and buff it out, you will be left with the small amount that you should have put on in the first place.

USE THE RIGHT CLOTH: The only difference is that you have just wasted an entire can of paste wax and spent the day trying to get it off. So, with a soft, clean, cotton cloth, apply the furniture paste wax by first dipping the cloth into the can of wax.

USE THE RIGHT METHOD: Now, rub the wax on in a circular motion over the wood surface. Rub it vigorously and spread the wax on thinly.

BUFFING PASTE WAX

The next step is to buff the paste wax, but when should you do that? This is one of the great mysteries about waxing. Not really, it’s simple. You are waiting for the solvents in the furniture paste wax to evaporate. What determines that is what kind of solvent was used in the paste wax. Was it a fast or slow evaporating solvent? And what is the environment like that you are waxing in; hot, cold, humid…. etc., all of these things will effect the drying time and how the wax buffs out.

The point is that there is no exact time to begin buffing the paste wax. Could be five minutes, twenty minutes or more. Most of the time it’s about ten or fifteen minutes, if all the conditions are right and the proper amount of paste wax is applied. You will know the wax is ready to buff when it looks dry or hazed over.

When the wax is ready, take another clean cloth and buff the surface. Buffing lightly will produce a satin sheen; while more buffing can produce a higher sheen or even a gloss. If you try and buff the wax too soon, before the solvent has fully evaporated, you will effectively be stripping the wax from the surface. This is the reason a poorly waxed surface appears to have shiny and dull areas. If the solvent in the paste wax has not fully evaporated the buffing cloth will pick up the solvent and use it like a wax stripper, removing any dry wax as you attempt to buff the surface. If the paste wax is left on too long, it simply is harder to buff out. In any case, one should not be alarmed; this can easily be corrected in either instance by simply applying another coat of paste wax.

How Often Should You Apply Paste Wax?

That depends greatly on how often the surface is used and cleaned. A surface used frequently gets cleaned and dusted more frequently. Every time a waxed surface is “wiped”, minute amounts of wax are removed.

Eventually, there is not enough wax on the surface to buff to a shine. This is when a fresh coat of wax should be applied.

Maintaining a waxed surface is easy. It needs only to be dusted with a soft cloth. If the waxed surface becomes dirty, a slightly moistened cloth may be helpful in removing the dirt. If that does not work, try a fresh coat of paste wax.

The importance of caring for your furniture, particularly historic furniture, cannot be over stated. The wonderful furniture that surrounds us is dependent on our support and interest for care and preservation. Maintaining your furniture’s condition and taking measures to prevent damage will ensure many years of use and enjoyment.

If you are a furniture restorer or an upcycler or simply a shabby chic amateur, you may want to consider reading one of these books, they are perfect for both, amateurs and professionals working with old furniture, either bringing them back to life or completely inventing them a new one!

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